Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
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Find a Buncombe County Jail Inmate and Check Current Custody
If someone was arrested in Asheville or elsewhere in Buncombe County, North Carolina, start with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Detainee Search. The public Police-to-Citizen system is the county’s official tool for checking people currently listed in the Buncombe County Detention Facility.
Use the jail roster first to confirm custody. After identifying the correct person, use the North Carolina court system for court dates and case records, or the state offender locator if the person has been transferred to state prison.
Open Official Detainee Search Buncombe County Detention Information| Facility | Buncombe County Detention Facility |
|---|---|
| Operator | Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office |
| Address | 20 Davidson Drive, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Detention phone | (828) 250-4550 |
| Front desk / visitation help | (828) 250-4610 or (828) 250-4557 |
| Best current-custody source | Buncombe County Sheriff’s Police-to-Citizen Detainee Search |
Information reviewed: October 18, 2026. Jail custody, visitation schedules, bond status and service providers can change, so verify time-sensitive information before traveling or sending money.
How to Search the Buncombe County Jail Roster
- Open the official Detainee Search. Go directly to the Buncombe County Police-to-Citizen inmate catalog.
- Search using the person’s legal name. Use the spelling most likely to have been recorded during booking. If the full name returns no useful match, try a less restrictive search such as the last name.
- Open the matching detainee record. Do not rely only on a name. Compare available identifying and booking information to make sure you have the correct person.
- Review current custody and charge information. Note useful identifiers, booking details and listed charges. These can help when you contact the jail, search the court case, send mail or deposit funds.
- Use the court record for the legal case. Jail information is primarily a custody record. For hearings, case activity and court documents, continue to the North Carolina Judicial Branch Buncombe County page.
What the Buncombe County Inmate Search Can Help You Check
The live roster is most useful when your first question is simply, “Is this person currently in Buncombe County custody?” Public information available with a detainee record may also help you identify the correct booking and understand why the person is being held.
| Information | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Name and identifying details | Confirm that the record belongs to the correct person, especially when names are common. |
| Booking or custody information | Helps confirm that the person was processed into the county detention system. |
| Listed charges | Shows allegations associated with the current booking; use the court record for the official case. |
| Bond information when displayed | Provides an initial reference, but verify the current amount and all release conditions before paying anything. |
| Booking / detainee identifier | Useful when contacting the facility or using inmate mail and account services. |
If the Person Does Not Appear in the Buncombe County Roster
A missing result does not automatically mean the person was never arrested. Work through these checks before relying on an unofficial inmate directory.
- Very recent arrest: transportation, intake, medical screening and booking may still be underway.
- Name variation: search with the person’s legal surname and check spelling, hyphens and middle names.
- Already released: a person may have bonded out or otherwise been released before you searched.
- Transferred: the person may have moved to another county, state prison, federal custody or another agency.
- Wrong jurisdiction: confirm that the arrest was actually processed in Buncombe County.
- Court case without current jail custody: a criminal case can remain active even after a defendant is no longer in jail.
If the person may have gone to North Carolina state prison
Use the NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Search. NCDAC specifically states that its offender locator covers state prisoners, probationers and parolees and does not include county jail inmates.
| You are trying to find | Best place to search |
|---|---|
| Current Buncombe County detainee | Buncombe County Sheriff’s Detainee Search |
| Buncombe County criminal court case | NC Judicial Branch / eCourts |
| North Carolina state prisoner | NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Locator |
| Custody-change notification | NC SAVAN |
How to Check Charges, Bond and Court Dates
Start with the jail record to identify the correct detainee, then move to the court system for the actual criminal case.
- Find the person in the Buncombe County detainee search.
- Write down the person’s exact booked name and any useful booking or case information shown.
- Review any current bond information displayed with the custody record.
- Open the Buncombe County page on NC Courts.
- Select the court-date or Portal option and search using the defendant’s name or available case information.
- Match the county, defendant and case before relying on a hearing date or case status.
A listed bond amount can be affected by later judicial action, additional charges, holds or other release conditions. Buncombe County’s official bond information explains that the Sheriff’s Office cannot reduce a person’s bail; only a judicial official can set or modify it.
The county also distinguishes between secured and unsecured conditions. A secured bond requires financial conditions to be met, while an unsecured amount does not require an upfront financial payment by itself. A detainee can have different conditions on different charges, so read the full custody and court record rather than one bond line.
Buncombe County Detention Facility Visitation
The Sheriff’s current Detention page lists onsite visitation on Tuesday and Thursday during the following periods:
- 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
- Visits are scheduled in 20-minute intervals.
- Appointments must be arranged at least 24 hours in advance.
For a first visit, the Sheriff’s Office directs visitors to the Detention Facility front desk at (828) 250-4610 or (828) 250-4557. The facility also directs users to iWebVisit for available online visitation services.
Visitor rules to know before you go
- Visitors age 16 or older need valid state or federal photo identification.
- Children age 15 or younger do not need ID when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
- Children cannot be left unattended.
- A visit may consist of one adult and one child under the published rules.
- Phones, cameras, weapons, bags, tobacco items, writing materials and various sharp or recording items are prohibited in the visitation area.
- Visitors and inmates must remain properly clothed, and inappropriate behavior can end the visit.
Check the current Sheriff’s visitation page before traveling because schedules can be changed for security or operational reasons.
Mail, Phone Calls and Money for a Buncombe County Inmate
Sending personal mail
Buncombe County uses TextBehind for non-privileged personal inmate mail. Routine family and friend correspondence should not simply be mailed to the Davidson Drive jail address.
Inmate’s Full Name – Inmate ID Number
Correctional Institution’s Complete Name, NC
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
The Sheriff’s instructions require the sender’s full first and last name and complete return address. Use the inmate’s complete name and identification number, and write the correctional institution’s full name rather than an abbreviation.
The current Sheriff page also states that the Buncombe County Detention Center does not accept books or packages from Amazon. Verify the latest mail rules before ordering anything for a detainee.
Inmate phone calls
Detainees may make outgoing calls during available free time in their housing unit. The Sheriff’s Office states that the calls are not traditional collect calls; an account or inmate phone funds are needed. The current Detention page directs families to PayTel for phone-time services.
Depositing commissary money
Commissary funds can be used for approved food, comfort and personal items. Buncombe County links to Inmate Canteen for detainee deposits. A lobby kiosk may also be available at the Detention Facility.
- Confirm the detainee is still in custody.
- Get the correct name and inmate identifier from the roster.
- Open the Sheriff’s approved deposit provider.
- Select the correct facility and inmate.
- Review the recipient details before submitting payment.
- Keep the transaction receipt.
Do not send cash, checks or money orders inside ordinary TextBehind personal mail.
Older Records, Arrest Information and Release Notifications
If you need a record that is not in the live roster
The current inmate search is designed mainly for live custody information. If you need an older government record or material that is not available through the public roster, Buncombe County provides an online public records request portal.
Include enough information to identify the record, such as the person’s full name, relevant date range and the type of record requested. More specific requests are generally easier for the agency to locate and review.
Get notified about custody changes
North Carolina’s NC SAVAN service provides custody information and free notification options for qualifying status changes. The statewide system includes county jail inmates as well as state correctional populations.
You can access SAVAN information through the NC Department of Adult Correction search resources. The state’s published SAVAN assistance number is 1-877-627-2826.
Buncombe County Detention Facility Contact Information
| Need | Contact / source |
|---|---|
| Current inmate search | Official Detainee Search |
| Detention Facility | 20 Davidson Drive, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Detention main line | (828) 250-4550 |
| Front desk / first visitation | (828) 250-4610 or (828) 250-4557 |
| Sheriff’s Office main line | (828) 250-4503 |
| Criminal court information | NC Judicial Branch – Buncombe County |
| State prison search | NC Department of Adult Correction |
Buncombe County Jail Inmate Search FAQs
1. How do I find someone in Buncombe County Jail?
Use the Buncombe County Sheriff’s official Police-to-Citizen Detainee Search. Search the person’s legal name, open the matching record and compare available identifying and booking details before relying on the result.
2. Is the Buncombe County jail roster free?
Yes. The Sheriff’s Office provides a public detainee-search system, so you do not need to buy a commercial people-search report just to check current Buncombe County jail custody.
3. Why can’t I find someone who was just arrested in Asheville?
The person may still be going through transportation, intake and booking, or the name may be entered differently. They may also have been released or transferred. Retry the official search and call the detention facility if custody remains unclear.
4. What is the Buncombe County Detention Facility address?
The facility is at 20 Davidson Drive, Asheville, NC 28801. The detention main line is (828) 250-4550.
5. Can I see an inmate’s charges and bond online?
The public detainee record can provide current custody and available booking or charge information. When bond information is displayed, verify it against the current jail or court record because judicial action and additional holds can change release conditions.
6. How do I find a Buncombe County inmate’s court date?
First identify the correct person through the jail roster, then use the North Carolina Judicial Branch Buncombe County page or eCourts Portal to search court dates and case information using the defendant’s name or available case details.
7. What are the current Buncombe County jail visitation times?
The Sheriff’s current Detention page lists onsite visitation Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Visits are in 20-minute intervals and must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.
8. How do I send mail to a Buncombe County inmate?
Non-privileged personal mail is handled through TextBehind. Address the letter with the inmate’s full name and ID number, the full correctional institution name, and P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131. Include the sender’s full name and return address.
9. How do I send money or pay for inmate phone calls?
The Sheriff’s Office links to Inmate Canteen for detainee deposits and currently directs users to PayTel for inmate phone services. Confirm the correct inmate before making a payment and use only the vendor linked by the Sheriff’s Office.
10. Where should I search if the inmate was transferred to a North Carolina prison?
Use the NC Department of Adult Correction Offender Search. NCDAC states that its database covers state prisoners, probationers and parolees and does not serve as the county jail roster.
Official Sources Used for This Guide
- Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office – Detention
- Buncombe County Detainee Search
- North Carolina Judicial Branch – Buncombe County
- NC Department of Adult Correction – Criminal Offender Searches
- Buncombe County Public Records Request
The live inmate roster should be rechecked whenever custody, bond, release, visitation or payment information matters. These details can change after a new booking, court order, release or transfer.